Anna Nicole's attorney is new baby's father

Howard K. Stern, the lawyer for Anna Nicole Smith, said yesterday that he's the "proud father" of her baby girl, who was born just days before her son Daniel died in the Bahamas.

Stern told CNN's Larry King that the newborn, named Dannie Lynn Hope, has been Smith's "one ray of hope" following the tragedy. The child, he said, is "the one thing that is really keeping her going. And through it all, even with all the pain, she has been a great mom, a very attentive mom."

On his relationship with Smith, Stern said, "We love each other and it's been going on for a very long time and because of my relationship as her lawyer, we felt it was best to keep everything hidden. And we've done a pretty good job of that."

When King asked Stern if he planned to marry Smith, he replied, "I've loved her for quite some time and hopefully the feeling's mutual. At some point, we will. Right now we have to somehow get through what we're going through."

TMZ